Submarine stabilizer



June 5, 1951 L. c. MASPERO SUBMARINE STABILIZER FIG.

| l l l I l lbIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIlI Filed Sept. 27, 1945 BYYKW ATTORNEYPatented June 5, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SUBMARINE STABILIZERLouis C. Maspero, Dorchester, Mass. Application September 27, 1945,Serial No. 619,010

(Granted under the act of March 3, 1883, as amended April 30, 1928; 3'700. G. 757) 2 Claims.

My invention relates to a submarine stabilizer. It has to do, moreparticularly, with an arrangement for stabilizing a submerged submarinein a vertical position especially during the time forward movement hasbeen interrupted.

In attempts to evade attacks from enemy surface craft, it is oftendesirable to interrupt forward movement of the submerged submarine andhave it lie motionless at a selected depth. This is also desirable whenthe submarine is being used for scouting or observation at periscopedepth and in other instances. However, because there is always either apositive buoyancy force or a negative buoyancy force exerted by thewater on the submarine, it is impossible to do this. The submarinealways has a tendency to rise or to sink farther.

The object of my invention is to provide a system on a submarine foraccomplishing equilibrium at any desired depth.

To accomplish equilibrium at any desired depth, I provide vertical jetunits at a plurality of places along the length of the submarine bymeans of which the trim of the vessel may be controlled to overcomepositive buoyancy or negative buoyancy.

The preferred embodiment of my invention is illustrated in theaccompanying drawing wherein:

Fig. l is a side elevational View showing a submarine equipped with thestabilizer system.

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view illustrating more in detail one ofthe stabilizer units.

With reference to the drawing, I have illustrated, more or lessdiagrammatically, in Fig. 1

a submarine I which is equipped with a vertical jet stabilizer unit 2 atits forward end and a vertical jet stabilizer unit 3 at its aft end. Theunits 2 and 3 are preferably spaced a substantial distance from thecorresponding ends of the submarine. For example, the unit 2 may belocated in the forward torpedo room and the unit 3 may be located in theaft torpedo room. However, additional units may be located at otherpoints longitudinally of the submarine.

Each of the units 2 and 3 is of the structure illustrated best in Fig.2. The unit consists of a vertically disposed conduit or jet pipepreferably in the form of a tube 4, which extends completely through thepressure hull 5 of the submarine. The upper end 6 of the tube is openand the lower end I is open. Intermediate, the height of the tube, thereis interposed a variable speed reversible motor driven pump or impellerunit -B.

In the drawing, I have illustrated the unit 8 as comprising an electricmotor 9 which drives an impeller or propeller l0 disposed in the tube'd.By-pass tubes lead from the lower part of tube 4 to the upper partthereof around the motor 9. The motor shaft extends into the lower partof tube 4 through a packing gland II. When the motor is actuated, theimpeller ID will pull water from one end of the tube and cause it toflow out of the other end. The direction of flow will depend on thedirection of rotation of the impeller and can be quickly reversed. Sinceboth ends of the tube 4 are open both sides of the impeller are subjectto the same amount of pressure and there will be a balanced condition.However, the impeller will produce motion of the water or a current. Itis to be understood that I am not limited to this particular type ofpumping unit. Other types of pumping units may be employed.

The motors 9 of the units 2 and 3 may be controlled from the controlroom of the submarine. If desired, these controls may be automatic.

The units 2 and 3 are located on opposite sides of the keel line so thatthey counteract each other in a transverse direction and will notproduce a rolling effect on the vessel.

In using the stabilizer arrangement, if positive buoyancy tends to moveone end of the submerged submarine upwardly, the stabilizer unit at thatend is actuated to expel water upwardly. The resulting reaction willtend to keep that end of the submarine down. On the other hand, ifnegative buoyancy tends to move that end of the submarine down, the unitis actuated to expel water downwardly. The resulting reaction will tend.to keep the end of the submarine up.

Thus, thejet pipes provide trimming jets directed either upwardly ordownwardly. The jets at the different ends may be so controlled relativeto each other that the trim of the vessel can be controlled andequilibrium obtained at any desired depth.

The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or forthe Government of the United States of America for govermental purposeswithout the payment of any royalty thereon or therefor.

What I claim is:

1. A system for stabilizing the submerged vertical position and roll ofa submarine comprising, first and second jet producing unitslongitudinally spaced of said submarine, each of said units comprising ajet tube extending in a vertical direction through the hull of saidsubmarine having single openings at the opposite ends thereof, bothopenings of each jet being equally laterally displaced in the samedirection from the longitudinal axis of said submarine, a variable speedreversible pump disposed in said jet tube for discharging water in aselected direction and amount through said tube, said first and secondjet producing units being displaced on opposite sides of thelongitudinal axis of said submarine, the flow of Water through said jettubes producing vertical reaction forces on said submarine and aresultant rotational moment tending to roll said submarine about saidlongitudinal axis.

2. A system for stabilizing the submerged vertical position and roll ofa submarine comprising two jet producing units for discharging watervertically of the hull of said submarine, each of said jet producingunits comprising a jet tube extending in a vertical direction completelythrough the hull of said submarine, said tube having a sole opening atits lower end displaced laterally from the longitudinal axis ofsaidisubmarine and a sole opening at its upper end similarly laterallydisplaced in the same direction from said longitudinal axis, and a pumpdriven by a variable speed reversible motor disposed in said jet tubefor controlling the direction and rate of fiow REFERENCES CITED Thefollowing references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 825,881 Gibon July 10, 1906 201,281,414 Pegram Oct. 15, 1918 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 4.048Great Britain Feb. 22, 1896

